These issues suggest some difficult questions. How can ESL programs work
with admissions offices to set appropriate language proficiency criteria for
admission of NNS? What constitutes effective academic advising? How can
ESL programs better inform academic advisers about the needs of NNS students?
What is the overall institutional responsibility for these students-who
were admitted with test scores and prior education that indicated weak English
language and academic skills? Should resources be used to help these students
pass university writing exams? Should help be limited to academically able students?
How do we distinguish between overall academic preparation and English-language
proficiency? At what point are students encouraged to find job
and career preparation other than university-level study? What is the responsibility
of English-language teachers for students whose academic difficulties
include subjects other than English? Surely these are important questions that
have broad implications for an institution as a whole and should not be
answered by ESL faculty alone.